Edward barrett



' arten `faire` aient ffrt; i j

1 y vti-nirvana BARRETT, or1 NEW YORK;N.Y.,'Ass1eNoR-T0 HIMSELFQANDV l i JOHN F. BURNS, 0F THE SAME PLAGE. y Leampatmt N0.71,441,dated`1vavember 26,1867. i

IMPROVEMENT IN FORVLANTERNS. I

To ALL wHoM 1r MAY conocen:

Be it known that I, EDWARD BARRETT, commander in the United States Navytoioial residence in'tho city, county, and State of. New York,.haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Lenses for Signal and other Lanterns; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a portion of this specification, in which--V Figure 1 is a transverse section of a' lens made according to my invention.`

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section, showing one method of employing the lens in a lamp or lantern.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures. i i

The object of this invention is to provide a lens for signal and other lanterns, lamps, or lights, which, when used simply as a lens. will rcfract the light with greater power or brilliancy than `those ordinarily in use, and which may also be employed, when desired, as a reflector; and to this end-the invention onsists in a lens of novel construction, whereby a. superior refraction of the light is secured; also in thecomb'rhation of an opaque cover or back with the aforesaid lens, whereby the same may be employed, when desired, as a simple reector; also in the combination, with the said lens, of a surrounding deflector, of daring form, whereby therays refracted or r'eected, as the case may be, by the lens, are cast in the desired direction without loss of brilliancy.

i To enable others to understand the nature and construction of my invention, I will proceed to describe it i with reference to the drawings.

The lens marked A, in the drawings, is hollow, and made of glass, blown or moulded in to the requisite shape, and is filled with any suitable liquid, tinged by proper materials to any desired color or shade, preferably blue, i `as represented 'at ai, the intensity of the color being 'varied according to the degree to `which it is intended to affect the light passing through or reflected'from-tlie-lens, as hereinafter fully set forth. The outer sidcor surfaceof the lens A is made convex, as indicated aia-fa Z1 b a, the central part Zilla, of 'the said surface `being flatter Vthan the circumferential portions a b thereof, or, in other words, the surface mentioned is of oblate spheroidal form. The opposite side orsurface of the lens has its annular circumferential portion c made semicircular in its r l cross-section, while, provided atV the central part .of the said side of the. lens, is a deep bell-shaped cavity, A'il,

which extends inward nearly to the forward side of the lens, as shown in the drawings, thesides of the said cavity i bulging inwards on a moderate curvature. Placed around the forward or convex sui-face ofthe lens is a flaring deflector, B, made of any suitable reflecting material. Fitted upon the inner or liollowed sideof the lens is a Aback or cover, C, of any appropriate opaque material, which is designed to keep the light frm the aforesaid side of the lens', when the said lens is used simply for reflecting purposes, and which is detached'therefrom when the same is used simply for the refraction of light. The back oitcover just mentioned being removed from the lens,'the light passing throughthe nearly annular sides thereof, is thrown or directed againstrthe reecting-` surface of the deector B, in such manner that the said deiiector is enabled to reect and concentrate thelight in the desired direction, thereby eil'ectually -preventing any vscattering or practical waste4 of light, the light being furthermore tinged by the coloring of the liquid at a*, with which the lens is filled, when the back or if i, cover is applied to the Vinner surface of the lens, as hereinbefore set forth, the forward surface thereof will-` i redect the light in a manner similar to that of an ordinary reflector. It is designed to use ithe lens, not only in single, signal, or other-lanterns or lights, but also, when desirable, to so arrange-a number of lenses in a single lantern, B*, as to adapt the latter to the use of a number of artisans or others occupying positions adjacent to each other, in which case the lenses are arranged so that one lens' will be situated immediately opposite another, `as shorn in ig. 2, each lens having placed around it,4at its inner side, a supplemental flaring deector, D, which deilects whatever. light maybe thrown beyond the circumference of the lens directlyto the lens opposite, thereby` insuring the utilization of all the light emanating from the gas or other dame or jet F, placed centrally inthe lantern, as shown in the figure last mentioned. i

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isg 1. The lens constructed with thecavity A*, substantially of the form setforth, for the purpose specified 2. The combination of the opaque cover or back with the lens, constructedas described, whereby the lens may beV used as'a reflector, substantially as herein set forth. j i

y 3. The combination, with the withinfdescribed lens, of the reiiector B, of ilaring form, substantially as and for the purpose specied. 4 i

Witnesses: v

A. Ln Gmane, I A Crus. H. ASHTON. 

